1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of Sports and more specifically to Golf Swing improvement by the use of Magnetic Module Golf Swing Learning, Training, and Practice Device.
The golf learning tool came from my own attempt at learning the golf swing. I have practiced at a driving range, and in my own back yard. I found that at the driving range, I was bouncing the club off the mat before hitting the ball, and at home, I was tearing up the grass in my attempts at developing a good swing.
I thought that if I could use a golf tee in the grass, possibly I wouldn't tear up the grass. The tee helped, but it always broke, or got lost in the grass. I tried using the rubber tees from the driving range . . . they were better than the wood tees, but still flew off when I hit them at the same time as the ball. I use wiffle balls to practice with.
I thought about it again, and came up with the idea of magnetism. I used magnets, and fastened an iron washer to the bottom of the rubber tee. I secured the magnet to the ground, put a tee on it and tried it. It worked great . . . the tee usually maintained magnetic attraction to the base, but I still damaged the grass, either by hitting it with the club, or just by the tee scraping the ground. That led me to the concept of a round disk between the magnet and the tee. It didn't work . . . the magnetism was not strong enough to go through the disk and to hold the tee.
I figured out that if I could use the same magnet to hold the disk (non ferrous), but with a cutout hole, and a ferrous ring on the perimeter of the hole, and then set a rubber cane tip, with a ferrous base into the same hole, it might work. It did. I could hit the ball, protect the grass, and also not have to search for the tee after each hit.
That took me to the next idea, if I could have the disk elongated, or rectangular, I could set many holes, for various swing positions, and try to learn to swing at each of them, to develop different swings, and to use different clubs.
The idea works. . . . The cane tip tee and the disk have protected the grass. When I swing too low, I knock out the cane tip, or just hit the disk, but after much practice I have been able to swing at many balls without hitting the disk, or dislodging the cane tip tee. I'm getting better, I have not mastered all the swings from each hole . . . but, I have learned to hit the ball, and mostly have it go straight, and far . . . mostly, not always.
Now I just need a tether on the cane tip, and on the wiffle ball.
2. Prior Technology
The Golf Mat at the driving range works well . . . I believe that if I swung at a ball as often, or as regularly, as I do in my back yard, I would be hitting just as well as I am now doing. . . . Perhaps better, because I would use regular golf balls, and not have to retrieve them.
But, I don't go to the driving range that often, I wouldn't practice chips or pitches, because most of the time at a driving range I just try to blast the ball.
Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. Just wanting to swing, wanting to get better, wanting to hit different shots, and not wanting to do damage to the grass, and to practice when I want too, for as few, or many, minutes as I want . . . created the need for me to try something.
3. Description of the Prior Art
Prior technology using a wooden tee in grass, or a rubber tee in a mat, both work well. My claim does not try to negate either of the existing systems. My device is a learning tool, where one can practice different type of strokes, different stances, different clubs in different positions using the learning, training and practice tool.
I have looked at many golf patents and I have not found any that have utilized magnetism to attract and hold a learning and guidance plate or a selectively placed swing target on said plate, or a selectively placed golf ball support on said plate, or to hold a mat or carpet in place while putting, pitching, or chipping.